


A Romantic Ride for Two

by LadyPaigeC



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2018 [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: 31 Days of Ficmas, F/M, Fluff, Hot Chocolate, Pete's World, Robot Reindeer, sleigh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 11:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17243681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPaigeC/pseuds/LadyPaigeC
Summary: The Doctor multi-tasks romancing Rose with field testing robots. Things don't go quite the way he planned.





	A Romantic Ride for Two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Skyler10](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyler10/gifts).



> Written for the 31 Days of Ficmas event @doctorroseprompts on Tumblr (Prompts used: Sleigh / Hot Chocolate / Love). 
> 
> Also, for Skyler10's prompt: Tentoo x Rose on a sleigh ride.

There was a knock on the door of the small office Rose used within her and the Doctor’s shared laboratory. Rose dragged her eyes away from the report she was working on and saw the Doctor standing just outside. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets and he rocked excitedly back on his heels. 

“What’s up?”

“Ready for lunch?”

She looked at the half completed paperwork and sighed. “I don't think I’m gonna be able to today.” Rose rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Pete’ll kill me if I don't have this finished by the end of the day.”

The Doctor leaned against the doorframe and smirked. “First of all, Pete loves you. And even if he didn't, Jackie’d never let him harm one hair on your beautiful head.” 

Rose rolled her eyes at him. “Thanks, but you know what I mean.”

“Come on, Rose, it's only paperwork.”

“Yeah, but I was supposed to have it turned in on Monday.”

“How ‘bout this? If you come to lunch with me, I'll help you finish your report later.”

“You volunteer to do paperwork?” Rose eyed him warily. “Wha’s going on?” 

“Roooose, it's a surprise.”

She groaned, but pushed back her chair. “Alright. Let's get a move on. The sooner we leave, the sooner I can get back and finish this.”

The Doctor beamed at her and drew her in for a quick kiss. “Grab your coat and meet me in the lobby in five.”

“Where’re you going?”

“I just need to swing by the cantina for a mo’.”

Rose pressed a kiss to the Doctor’s cheek and watched him bound from the lab. She shook her head affectionately and went to find her coat.

\--

Ten minutes later, the Doctor had his arm wrapped around Rose and was guiding her into a nearby park.

“Wha’ the…?” Rose gawked at a sleigh hitched to eight robotic reindeer complete with felt antlers and bells around their “necks.”

“You remember the project I was helping R&D with last month?”

“Yeah.”

“Well this is it!”

“Robot reindeer?”

“Er, technically dogs. ‘Spot-bots’ are what they’re calling them. UNIT has an agreement with NASA for the tech in the future, but first they need testing. So, I volunteered. And with a few holiday modifications, they make the perfect reindeer.” The Doctor held out his hand to Rose and asked, “What do you say?”

Rose took his hand and sang, “ _Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you._ ”

He beamed at her and helped her settle in the cozy little sleigh. He pulled a blanket and a thermos out of his bigger on the inside pockets. He spread the blanket over their laps and handed her a cup of steaming hot cocoa. She snuggled into his side as he pointed the sonic at the robots and set them off at a leisurely pace.

Rose took a sip of her cocoa and smiled up at the Doctor. “Mmm. This is nice. We should do this more often.”

“Volunteer to test robots?”

“No you plum, sneak away during the day and have a little adventure. ‘S nice.”

The Doctor looked from Rose to the bots and back. “Did you say, ‘a little adventure?’”

He waggled his eyebrows and her eyes lit up. 

“Oh, yes.”

The Doctor pointed the sonic at the robots and they sped up. 

Rose dropped her cup over the side of the sleigh and held tightly to the front of the sleigh. “Faster!”

He sonicked the reindeer to top speed causing several people to jump out of their way. 

The wind blew through Rose’s hair and her smile was bright. She looked radiant and the Doctor couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

The sled hit a bump causing the Doctor to wobble. Rose let go of her anchor to grab him just as they were jostled by another patch of rough ground. The Doctor managed to catch himself, but Rose lost her seat and ended up on her back in the snow.

“Rose!” The Doctor disabled the robots and scrambled out of the sleigh before it had even stopped moving. He slid into her side on his knees. “Rose! Are you okay?”

She turned her head to look at him and started laughing. 

“Wha?”

She rolled on her side and clutched her stomach. She was laughing so hard, she couldn’t get the words out. “Haven’t had...a landing like...that...in ages!”

The Doctor’s worry slowly faded and a small giggle escaped his mouth. “You had me worried. You really flew off your seat when we hit that second bump. Blimey. It was something.”

Rose dragged him down next to her and cuddled into his side. “Mmm. Was trying to help you. See if I do that again.” 

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. “You will. ‘Cause you looooove me.”

Rose tried to stop her smile, but she couldn’t stop her lips from twitching upward. “I do, do I?”

“Mmmhmm. But not as much as I love you.”

“Oi! I obviously love you more! I took a header outta the sled to prove it.”

“That was pretty impressive. But I sat through your mother’s last dinner party without getting into any trouble.”

Rose snorted. “You removed my knickers halfway through the second course and stuck them in the President’s husband’s tuxedo pocket!”

“He didn’t notice.”

“No, but Mum did.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “So you’re saying that doesn’t count?”

“Nope.”

The Doctor jumped to his feet and reached down to help Rose up. “I think it counts.”

She put her hands in his. “You love my mum too. And the dinner party you put up with for her, not me.”

The Doctor was still for a moment and then he pulled Rose to her feet. “I mostly do those things for you. But I do love your mum, and the reason I love her is because she raised and shaped the most amazing, intelligent, caring, brave, and wonderful woman I’ve ever met.” The Doctor kissed Rose on the tip of her nose. “And if I can love Jackie Tyler after she slapped me all those years ago, it just goes to show that I love you more.”

“Shut up.” Rose wiped at the tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

The Doctor pulled her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Seriously, Rose, I love you. And I love being a part of your family.”

“Our.”

“What?”

“Our family. They’re your family too.”

The Doctor leaned back and gave Rose a brilliant smile - all teeth and crinkles in the corners of his eyes. “They are, aren’t they?” 

Rose nodded. 

The Doctor stepped away from Rose and offered her his hand. “What do you say about another sleigh ride?”

“I thought you’d never ask. But don’t think that I’m gonna try and save you again. I learned my lesson.”

The Doctor kissed Rose hard on the mouth. “I bet I can make you fly out of your seat again.”

“Ten quid, you go first.”

“Deal.”

They raced back to the sleigh and spent the rest of the afternoon speeding through the park trying to dislodge the other with every hole, hill, and rock. And if word got out that there were a couple of nutters with a team of eight berserk robot reindeer terrorizing the general public, well it helped to have family in high places.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my inspiration for this fic was the Holiday video that was released a few years ago by Boston Dynamics of their robotic dogs (spot bots) pulling a sleigh. Video can be seen [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldvKS_lU3gY).


End file.
